Improvement in galvanic batteries



w. M. DAVIS. w Gallvalnic-Battery.-

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MM 'aww/@ THE snAPmc emmnvofumas an PARK PLAGRNY VILLIAM M. DAVIS, OFCLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN GALVANIC BATTERIES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 162,806, dated May 4,1875; application filed March 9, 1874.

' To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. DAvIs, ofCleveland, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Galvanic Batteries; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which willenable others versed in their use and construction to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis speciiication My invention relates to that class of batteriestermed self-feeding, and consists in malrin g them more perfectlyself-feedin g than any heretofore constructed. In addition to this it isalso designed to be self-discharging and want-announcing-that is, itwill discharge ltself of the too dense liquid, as well as give Iloticeby a common call-bell whenever any of the necessary ingredients becomenearly exhausted, these ingredients being supplied to it in largequantities.

The apparatus is here shown in its application toa copper and zincbattery, but may be applied in whole, or in part, to other kinds ofbatteries. Although the entire invention operates together as a unit, itmay, for convenience of description, be divided into three parts, viz:First, the automatic feeding apparatus; second, the automaticdischarging apparatus 5 third, the automatic want-indicatin g apparatus.

rIhe means by whichf these desirable ends are accomplished are moreparticularly described in the following specification Figure 1 is afront elevation of this battery partly in section; and Fig, 2 is a planView of the same, also partly in section. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionof the zinc-cell, and the supporting-shelf below it.

A is a box to hold the jar, and B is a frame attached thereto, tosupport some of the cperative parts hereinafter to be described.. C is abattery-cup to hold the solutions; c is a common discharge-spout nearits top. D is a common sulphate-of-copper reservoir, and d is its longneck. E is a zinc plate, and e is a slender stem attached to it. F isthe zinc reservoir orv cell to hold and guide the zinc to the shelfbelow, and f is the supporting-shelf attached to cell F to sustain theweight of the zinc. G is a water-reservoir, supported by frame B. H isthe hydrometer-bulb, and h is iis slender stem attached to beam I. I isa balance-beam, and t' is its metallic fulcrum. J' is an adjustablecounterpoise to bulb H. K is avalve in reservoir G, and k is its rodattached to beam I. L is a pipe to conduct water into cup C. M is acopper-plate for the battery, and m is its attached conductor. N and Oare portions of a common call-circuit. I is the call-weight resting oncrystals in reservoir I). Q is a spring circuit-maker, which the weightP operates. g is a pliable cord, which connects weight P with spring Q.R is a call-catch on zinc stem e, and i" is the circuit-maker which itoperates. S is a circuitmaker attached to beam I. T and T arecontact-plates in the call-circuit. Wires It and m constitute the polesof the battery. a is a branch of call-circuit leading to springs i" ands, through the metallic fulcrum z'. n is another branch of the samecircuit leading to spring Q. Wire O is attached directly to plate T.Plate T is connected with O by wire o. The cup C is of the ordinaryform, into which the necessary ingredients are automatically fed, in thefollowing manner:

SuZpLctte-Qf'opper Feed-The reservoir D differs a little in form fromthose heretofore used, as shown at D d, Fig. l, and is designed to holda large supply ofthe crystals.

Zt`nc-Feed.-The zinc-cell Il is suspended in the cup by any of theordinary means, and may be of any form required to suit the shape ofthecolumn of zinc E to be used in it. In the drawing it is represented as aflattened tube, and is given this shape in order to use thick sheet zincin it. A

This cell is designed to receive a long bar of zinc, and to guide thesame to the shelf below, and, at the same time, to protect all but thelower end of the bar from the solvent action of the surrounding acid.The supporting-shelf f may be secured to cell F, as represented in thedrawing, or, it may be supported by any other means 5 but it must beliXed at such a distance below the lower end of cell F as will exposesufficient surface of the zinc to generate the quanti ty of electricityrequired. The zincbar must be of such size that it will slide freelythrough the cell, so as to descend by its own the rise and fall of thebulb.

weight, whenever the lower portions are dissolved away, and thus beself-feeding.

Water-Feed.-The water-reservoir G is here represented as a circularvessel. It may, however, be of any convenient form, either open orclosed, and may be supplied with water by any ot' the ordinary means.The hydrometerbulb H is suspended from one end of beam I, so that it mayoat in the' liquid in cup C to such a depth that nearly half an inch ofstem h shall be submerged when the bulb is properly balanced in theliquid. That this may be easily accomplished, the bulb is so weighted asto readily sink in a liquid ofthe maximum density required. The functionot' this bulb is to regulate the supply of Water to the cup by means ofvalve K, which is attached to the end of beam I by its slender stem L,and which is designed to let water into the cup whenever the liquidwithin has attained the required maximum density. To attain this end thebulb must first be balanced in a liquid ofthe required density by meansofthe adjustable counterpoise J, so that the bulb will rise in thisliquid with just sufcient force to litt valve K, which is so attached asto rise with it; then, when the liquid in this cup has reached themaximum density required, the

bulb will rise and open .the valve, and thusfeed water to the cup. Thewater thus supplied reduces the density of the liquid within, whichcauses the bulb to sink, and thus to stop the water-feed. The valve K ismade very small, so as to be easily opened and closed by This valve maybe replaced by many of the ordinary watervents, and still act with equalefficiency. The water-pipe L is designed t-o conduct the water fromvalve K into the cup, or the reservoir maybe placed directly over thecup, so that the water may fall into it without a guide whenever thevalve is opened. To preserve the vertical position ot' thehydrometer-stem, the balance-beam and couuterpoise are used inpreference to fixed guides, because less friction is involved by theformer method.

The Discharge-The discharge is effected by the simple overfiow ofthe toodense liquid a-t the discharge-spout c whenever water or other liquid ispoured into the cup. This discharge-spout is so constructed that theoverflowing liquid will l'all into a suitable trough permanently placedthere to conduct it to a proper receptacle. The copper plate M, bypreference, is placed in its edge, so as not to be obstructed by theotfals oi' the dissolving zinc. It may extend around the inside of thecup.

The following is a description of the wantindicating apparatus:

SuZphate-of'opper CML-The call-weight P is a flat disk laid on the topof the copper crystals, and descends with them as the lower portions aredissolved away. This weight is connected with the spring circuit-maker Qby a cord, Z, ot' such length that when the crystals are nearlyexhausted it may draw down spring Q so as to touch plate T, and thusclose the call-circuit.

Zine-(MZL-The upper end of stem e is bent over so as to form thecall-catch l, while, at the same time, it constitutes one pole of thebattery. rThis stem is held in a vertical position by spring U. As thelower end of the zinc bar E is dissolved away., the upper portionsdescend, till finally, when the zinc is nearly consumed, catch Itpresses spring 1 onto plate T', and thus closes the call-circuit.

lVater-OalZ.-If the supply ot' water should fail, notice thereof will begiven as follows: As liquid in cup C becomes more and more dense bulb Hrises in it till valve K is opened. It', now, no water be admitted intothe cup, bulb H continues to rise by the increasing density of theliquid around it till spring S tou-ches plate T', and closes thecall-circuit, announcing a want.

I claim as my inventionl. In combination with the zinc bar E of a,galvanic battery, the guiding-cell F and its Vsupporting-shelt'f,substantially as and for the purpose specied.

2. The combination, in a galvanic battery, ot` a water-reservoir, G, ahydrometer, H, and valve K, operating together substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the reservoir D and a common call-circuit, ot"the calLweight P and the contact-spring Q, substantially as and for thepurpose specied.

4. In combination with the descending bar of zinc E of a galvanicbattery and a common call-circuit, the call-catch It and thecontactspring r, operating together substantially as and for the purposespecified.

5. In combination with the ascending bulb H, in the liquid ot' agalvanic battery and a common call-circuit, the contact-spring S on beamI, or their mechanical equivalents, operating together substantially asand for theV Witnesses FRANK ABoRN, ANDR. J. RIcKoFF.

